Machine for braiding elastic fabrics



Ma 31 1927. y J. M. c. BRANCO MACHINE FOR BRAIDING ELASTIC FABRICS FiledJuly 27, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 mlll lllll 1,631,082 J. M. c. BRANCOMACHINE FOR BRAIDING ELASTIC FABRICS May 31 1927.

Filed July 2'7, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 31 1927.

' J. M. c. BRANCO MACHINE FOR BRAIDING ELASTIC FABRICS Filed July 27,1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented May 31, 1927.

UNITED STATES cr me-E.

JAcQUIN M. c. B'RANCO, or SOMERSET, mnssncim'sn'rrs, Assienoit orONEEHALF 'ro JAMES x'. LANNING, on FALL RIVER, MAssAoinisE'r'rs,

MACHINE Ion BRAIDVING ELASTIC FABRICS.

Application area July '27,

This invention relates to; a machine for braiding elastic webbing and isintended to provide a construction for such machine that will enable itto produce a stronger and more elastic fabric than is produced onmachines of this class as heretoforeconstructed;

Heretotore it has been the practice to lead a series of elastic cordsfrom a common revoluble spool to a common braiding point or eye abovethe machine, relying upon frictional resistance tothe rotation of saidspool to produce tension upon the cords, but I have found that thisarrangement results in unequal stretch of the d-iii'erent elastic cordsand produces an imperfect fabric.

One of the features of the present invention resides in an arrangementwhich secures equal and uniform tension on all the elastic cordsentering into'the fabric, with the result that the webbing produced isnot only stronger but also .much more elastic or stretchable. Thetensio-ning members may be also arranged to cause the machine to stopwhenever one of the elastic cords is broken, thereby preventing theproduction of imperl ect'webbing lacking oneor more strands of elasticcord. These and other features of the inventionwill be particularlyexplained in the-following specification and will be delined in theclaims hereto annexedl p In the drawings I have illustrated thepreferred form embodying the'principles of this invention, in which:

l igui-e l is a front elevation showing so much of abraidingmachineequipped with my improvement as is necessary to anunderstanding of my invention. a

Figure 2 is a plan view of the top plate or track plate of a braidingmachine, the carriers being removed, in association witha portion of thestop mechanism. I

Figure 3 isa plan view of the. sto'p nechanism releasing-lever detachedfrom the machine and associated with the annula'rly aranged'cord-guidingmembers.

Figure 4. is a side elevation showing a portionofthe stop mechanismforsto'pping the machine. I

' Figure 5 is-a detail view, partly in vertical SBCtlOlhSllOWlIilg thecourse of an elastic cord in. association with its tensioning member.

Generally speaking, the invention em- 1926. Serial 110. 125,501.

uniform and equal tension on each of the elastic cords that areincorporated into the elastic 1 fabric so that all the cords Willstretch equally andafi'ord an equal resistance to the stretching action,thereby increasing the strength of the fabric. As

shown in the drawings, the braiding ma are rotated by suitable trains ofgearing 3,

from the driving mechanism in the usual manner so that a series of yarnbobbins 5, mounted on vertical spindles 4, secured to the travelingcarriers 3, may be carried, one set moving in one track in one directionand the opposite set moving in the opposite track inthe oppositedirection so asyto cross each others paths and produce thebraidingactionfor the yarn ends which arebrought together to the braiding pointoreye 10. lhe respective yarn ends a: are carried up through suitableguides 6 from the supply bobbins 5 to the braiding eye 10, but thedetails of this braiding mechanism are not involved in thepresentinvention and, therefore, further detailed explanation thereof isomitted. I v r A stop member issecured: in position to cover the tracksin the foremost or forward section of the machine so thateach yarncarrier, when reaching this spot, insteadiof continuing its travelaround and around the bed-plate, reverses itself and tnavels backwardin. the other-track 1 until it reaches the limitof its. traverse againstthe 'opposit'eendof the stop This stop,

is used to braid a flat piece of fabrie' instead of a tubular piece offabric. which would result in having the carrierswcircle the machinecontinuously, each set in onedirectioIi;

Tlie'ela'stic cords 1/, which are to be in bodies.aconstruction actingto maintain a -=cor oratea in the braid, are passed up wound on arevoluble spool 7 mounted be-' neath the machine near the floor in anysuitable braiding supports, not shown, so that,

they may allunwind simultaneously from the spool to pass into thewebbing formed by the braiding machine.

I-Ieretofore thesecords have been passed directly through their verticalguides to the braiding throat 10, it having been supposed that thefrictional retardation of the supply spool would produce proper tensionfor the set of elastic cords. I have found, however, that the lack ofperfect braiding of this type of fabric is due to the unequal tensioningof the elastic cords since some of them are stretched more than areothers.

My present improvement, therefore, involves an arrangement of tensioningmeans applied to each individual cord in such a way as to make itpossible to produce an equal and uniform tensioning of all the cordswhile at the same time increasing or diminishing such tension accordingto the particular requirements.

With this object in view I provide a ring or annulus 12, supportedconcentrically with the machine below the lower bed-plate 2, and

of smaller diameter or radius than the radial. distance of thevertical'guide tubes 8 through which the elastic cords 3 travel on theirway to the brading point. In radial relation to each of these guidetubes 8, but of set integrally toward the center, are guide pulleysorrollers 11, best illustrated in Figure 5, over which the respectiveelastic cords take a quarter turn in their traverse toward theirguide-tubes 8. Between these deflecting guide m'embersor rollers 11 andthe vertical guide'tul'ie 8, I suspend on each cord a tensioning devicewhich, in this case, comprises a small. rod or wire 14 formed, atits'upper end, with a narrow fork 14, in which is mounted a guiderolleror pulley14 At is lower end these vertical tensioning wires pass throughguide apertures formed in an arcuate extension 'fplate -15 of alever 16,which acts, indirectly to knock E and stop the driving mechanism, aswill be later explained. I

Continuing upward beyond the track plate 1, is'an'upright bracket orstandard 9, for the mostpart of semi-tubular construction, whichcarries, atits upper, end, a guide roll 9, in approximate alignment withthe vertical guidetuhe 8, to form a guide from which the elastic cordpasses from the braiding throat.

two forward guiding standards, as shown at 9 are made completely tubular1n form For more complete protection the and each have a lateral outletslot 9 through ,provernent two results are secured.

first place an equal and uniform tension is which the cord emerges andfrom which it passes over an externally supported guide f ward intoengagement with a drop latch 20 which is provided with a shoulder at 2Oadapted to overhang the adjacent edge of the lever 18 so that theforward end of the lever 18 is normally pressed outward by its springinto retaining position beneath said shoulder 20", to prevent the droplatch from falling. .The fuleral point of saidlever is the screw 18?.

Pivotally mountedeon ahorizontal fuleral i or ivot in 16 at one side ofthe machine is a lever 16, whose'upperarm 17 is turned 1 inwardly andpreferablynotched, as shown at 17 toengage the outside face of the leverThe lowerend of sa d lever is turned 18. inwardly, as at 16, and carriesan arouate plate 15 provided with perforations for the passage of thewires 14 of the cordtensioning members. wires 14, of the tensioning,members, are

suspended weights 25, each having a central supporting. spindle topermit putting on or taking off loading weights25 toin crease ordiminish the weight and the consequent tension or downward pull of thewires 14. y

, Each-elasticcord 3 is'carried from the spool 7 around its overheadguide ipulley'll, through the yoke or fork .14 and under the roller orpulley 14*, up through the adjacent vertical guide tube 8, over thepulley 9 or 9, as the case may be, to the braiding throat. The downwardpull of the weights which are equal, results in; a downward pull'ortension. upon the horizontal stretch of each elastic cord g between itsdeflecting pulley 11 and its vertical guide tubes 8,'so that all cordsare stretchedequally and uniformly during the operation of the machine.In case any one of the cordsy should break, there no longer being anysupport for its tensioning member, the tensioning'member drops until Tothe lower ends of these.

its fork, at the upper end, strike upon the .arcuate-plate 15, carriedby 'the-Jlower arm 16 of the lever 16, thereby swinging theupsequentlymoving inwardly the f rward arm ,of the'detentilS out ofengagement with the overhanging shoulder of the drop latch- 20, so thatthe drop latch' is permitted to fall, thereby. disengaging the drivingclutch 22 from the compound pinion 24, on the driving shaft 23, andstopping the machine. i

It will, therefore, be seen that by my'im- In the produced on all theelastic cords entering into the fabric, with the'consequence that thefabric has greater stretch and elasticity,

and at the same time is stronger than fabrics wo en with the cords underunequal tension. In the second place imperfect braiding, due to thebreakage of one or more of the elastic cords, is prevented because, assoon as a single cord breaks, the machine stops instead of continuing tobraid with one or more of the elastic cords lacking. This result iseffectually accomplished by the stop-releasing lever having engagementwith each and all of the tensioning members, without disturbing theirproper annular order or arrangement, since the stop lever is providedwith an arcuate or approximately annular plate which not only forms aguide for each of the drop wires at its lower end, but also forms ayielding stop which is actuated by the impact of the dropping weight tocause stretch of the machine.

IVhile the invention was originally devised for braiding elastic cords,it will be understood that it is also applicable to the covering bybraiding of cords or warp threads of textile fibre, sucli as cotton,silk or the like since, when applied to warps of such material, itresults in producing a covered cord of superior and uniform strength.

What I claim is:

1. In a machine for braiding elastic fabric, a

the combination with yarn-delivering and braiding mechanism of a carrierfor elastic cords, guiding means for each cord to cause the cord totravel for a distance in an approximately horizontal plane as it movestoward the braiding point, and a weight suspended on the horizontalportion of each cord, and stop mechanism arranged to be rendered activeby the fall of the suspended weight when its cord is broken.

2. In a machine characterized under claim 1, the combination with asupply spool for the elastic cords located below the braiding mechanism,a deflecting guide member for each cord arranged above the spool toallow the cord to turn to horizontal position, a laterally ofisetupright guide for guiding each cord to the braiding point, a tensioningmember suspended on the cord between the two guides acting to maintain auniform tension on the cord as it moves to braiding position.

3. In a machine characterized under claim 1. the combination with asupply spool for the elastic cords located below the braiding mechanism,a deflecting guide member for each cord arranged above the spool to'allow the cord to turn to horizontal position, a lateral ofiset uprightguide for guiding each cord to the braiding point, a tensioning memberof variable weight suspended on each cord between the two guides andacting to maintain the desired tension constantly on the cord as itmoves to braiding position.

t. In a machine characterized under claim 1, the combination with asupply spool for the elastic cords located below the braiding mechanism,guide members by which each cord is led to the braiding throat of the 1,the combination with an annular series of tensioning weights suspendedon the respective elastic cords that are to enter into the fabric, alever pivoted to swing about a horizontal axis, the lower arm of saidlever being arranged to be depressed when any tensioning member fallsfrom its suspending cord, the upperend of said lever being disposed toengage a clutch-controlling mechanism by which the machine isdisconnected from its driving mechanism when any of the elastic cordsbreak and allow the suspended tensioning member to drop and actuate saidpivoted lever.

6. In a machine for braiding elastic fabric, the combination with yarndelivering and braiding mechanism, of a series of cord delivering guidesarranged concentrically above the braiding mechanism, a supplyspoolcarrying a series of elastic cords revolubly mounted beneath thebraiding mechanism to supply an elastic cord to each corddeliveringguide, and a series of individual tensioning weights suspended on therespective cords beneath the braiding mechanism, and means energized bythe fall of any individual weight for automatically causing the stoppageof the machine.

7. In a machine for braiding elastic fabric, the combination withyarn-delivering and braiding mechanism, of cord-delivering guidesconcentrically disposed above the braiding mechanism, a supply spoolcarrying a series of elastic cords revolubly mounted to deliver thecords to their respective delivery guides, a series of individualtensioning wires suspended on the respective cords beneath the braidingmechanism, and removable tensioning weights carried by said wires inorder to exert a predetermined but variable tension upon the series ofelastic cords.

8. In a machine for braiding elastic fabric, the combination withyarn-delivering and braiding mechanism, of a series of corddeliveringguides arranged about a common centre above the braiding mechanism, arevguides, a series of individual cord guides arranged below thedelivery guides in ofi'set relation thereto, and a series of tensioningWeights arranged beneath the braiding mechanism 1n posltlon to engagethe respectlve cords intermediately of said oflset guides and thedelivery guides to exert a predetermined tension on the individualcords. 19

In Witness whereof, I have subscribed the above specification.

' JACQUIN M. C. BRANGO.

